Flange-tester.



G. BROWNING, JR.

FLANGE TESTER. APPLICATION FILED DEG. 20, 1909.

Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

@woe/who@ Clzallas'rowlzzg CHARLES BROWNING, JR., OF SACRAMENTO,CALIFORNIA.

FLANGE-TESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 20,k 1909. Serial No. 534,014.

To all whom itwmay concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES BRowNrNe, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento and theState of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Flange-Testers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and tothe characters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in means for detecting worn ordefective flanges of car or similar wheels having fianges, the object ofthe invention being to produce a means of locating defective wheels bysubjecting the flanges at several points in the circumference of eachwheel to the pressure or thrust that results in failure of defectivewheels in service when such pressure is brought to bear under cordinateconditions of curve of track, load and speed.

By operation of my device which is hereinafter described, defectivewheels may be located under serveillance of car inspector' on straightand level tracks at moderate speed and at time and place convenient forreplacement of defective wheels with the new.

My device herein referred to is designed to efficiently locate wheelswith hidden defects, such as cracks or seams at root of flange thatdangerously weaken the flange and yet are invisible on the most carefulinspection. It is designed to locate any defeet which leads to failure,wrecks or derailment in service when pressure is brought to bear againstthe flanges similar to that to which they are subjected in my device.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device. Fig. 2 is an end view of thesame partly in section. Fig. 8 is a detached view of a fluid pressurecylinder and connections.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings 1 designates rails adapted to be in direct alinement with therails 2 of the usual railway at such intermediate points in such`railway as is desired to install my testing mechanism. These rails lare stronger and wider than the usual rails 2 and are especiallydesigned and adapted to the hereinrafter described operation and areprovided with vertical transverse recesses or slots 3,

and an outer upwardly projecting guard rail 3f* to maintain thewheels'in proper `position on the rails 1 during the operation of thedevice. Said rails 1 are bolted or otherwise secured to bed plates 4mounted on ties or sleepers 5, such bed plates 4 having upwardlyprojecting blocks 6 provided with slots 7 acting as guides for slidingblocks 8 carrying removable plates 9 having upwardly projecting curvedflanges 10 movable in the slots 2 having their curved portions anormally projecting beyond the inner edge of said rails 1. 1

11 are yokes bolted across the tops of the blocks 8 to maintain the samein position and said yokes 11 also-act as a stop to limit the movementof the members 9, such motion being also limited by collars 12 on rods13 secured in said blocks 8 and projecting through the rails 1, suchcollars bearing against the outer sides of said rails 1. On the innersides of said blocks 8 are rods 14 projecting through spaced bars 15 andhaving retaining nuts 16 on their outer ends, there being springs 17mounted on said rods 14 and interposed between said bars 15, whichsprings maintain the parts in normal position and particularly theportion a projecting beyond the inner line of the rails 1, such springs17 having a tension sufficient to give a flange of a wheel passing oversaid rails 1 a frictional pressure and jar in encountering the portion aand driving backward the flanges 10 as such wheels would receive inactual service and thus should there be any weak places due to inherentdefects or wear, the fiange will break at that point and hence thedefective wheel be found and taken off before the train leaves terminalor point where device is located, the guard rails 3*L maintaining thewheels in proper position on the rails. Similarly and in conjunctionwith or independently of the said springs 17 may be employed fluidpressure cylinders 18 having pistons 19 having rods 20 alined with therods 13, and projecting into and being Patented sept. 10,1912.

keyed to the collars 12 by keys 12a, whereby Huid pressure may beadmitted to said; cylinders 18 through pipes 21 aga-inst said rods 13 toperform a similar operation as said springs perform as above described,the flanges 10 and blocks 9 moving through the slot 2 in both instances.Such anges 10 as shown in thedrawings are lower than the top o-f therails 1 hence they are free from the weight of passing cars, and henceare free to readily perform their functions. These fianges 10 sustainpractically all the wear of the device and hence when worn can bereadily removed by means of bolts 9 and replaced.

rlhe pressure to the front ofthe pistons 19 is as described, admitted tothe cylinders through pipes 21 connected with an ordinary four way valve22 supplied fro-m the main reservoir pipe 23. Now to release thispressure and turn the pressure to the rear of the pistons 19 to hold theflanges 10 within the recesses 3 and thus leave the track clear if it isso desired for any purpose the handle 24 of the valve 22 is operatedrelieving' the pressure from the front of the pistons to the atmospherethrough a pipe 25 and admitting the pressure to the rear of the pistons19 through pipes 2G, and vice versa to again admit pressure to the frontof the cylinder.

lhile this specification describes the apparatus as testing car wheelsand flanges, still in practice it can be adapted to any testing purposedesired.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfils all the objects of theinvention as set forth herein, viz; an apparatus which will test anddetect defects in. wheels in a similar manner as they are practicallytested in service.

thile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A flange tester comprising a comblna- `tion with the rails of arailway, of independent rail members set in alinement with the rails ofsaid railway, said independent rail members having recesses out in theirinnerk edges, spring pressed blocks movable in said recesses, theflanges of wheels running over said rails being adapted to strike saidblocks, and guard. flanges on the outer :edges of said independent railmembers adapted to hold such wheels in proper position as they ride oversaid independent rail members as described.

2. A device of the character described con'iprising a railway,independent rail members disposed in direct alinement with the rails ofsaid railway and provided with transverse slots, spring pressed blocksmovable in said recesses, rods on said blocks projecting through saidindependent rail members, collars on the outer ends of said rods, rodsprojecting into said collars and removably keyed thereto, and a fluidpressure means connected with the last named rods as described.

3. A device of the character described comprising a railway, railsdisposed in direct alinement with the rails of said railway, such lastnamed rails being wider than lthe rails of the railway and provided withtransverse slots, upwardly projecting guard flanges on the outer edgesof said last named rails, sliding spring pressed blocks, flanges on saidblocks, said flanges and said blocks being movable in said slots, rodson said blocks projecting through said last named rails and havingcollars on their outer ends, rods projecting into said collars andremovably keyed thereto, andl a fluid pressure means connected with saidlast named rods as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES BROVVNING, JR. Witnesses PERCY S. WEBSTER, JOSHUA B. WEBSTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

